1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to vending digitized content via wireless networks.
2. Description of the Related Art
Most digitized content such as music, videos, games, and the like currently is sold in disk or tape format at retail outlets or based on catalogue orders or online orders. A disk or tape player can then be used to play the content. Other content is televised over cable channels that can be subscribed to, with payment for the content being based on a subscription service. Broadcast content, that is, wireless content, typically is not billed to the user, since use of the content by the user cannot be established. Such broadcast content consequently is subsidized by advertisers.
Accordingly, to buy publicly vended content, a user can purchase the content on a disk, which requires the user either to order the content and then wait for delivery or travel to a retail outlet. This is time consuming and consequently reduces the sales volume that content providers might otherwise achieve. Alternatively, the user can establish a subscription account for cable delivery, but this requires the installation of hardwired infrastructure, and it precludes the use of mobile, wireless devices.
The present invention, in critically observing the above-noted considerations relating to current models of vending content, has made further critical observations to develop the network-based, wireless content provision paradigm disclosed herein. Specifically, the present invention understands that personal computing devices such as personal digital assistants (PDAs) and the like have become ubiquitous. Along with this, instant worldwide computer communication has become available via the Internet. This juxtaposition of technologies has spawned thousands of new computer-driven opportunities to serve both consumers and content providers.
The present invention still further recognizes that unfortunately, in many cases Internet network data transfer rates are relatively low. Most personal computers, for example, currently have Internet data transfer rates of less than 100 kbps, making the vending of certain types of data, such as video, less than satisfactory over the Internet. Moreover, personal computers typically are connected to the Internet via telephone lines or fiber optic lines, meaning that the computers cannot be transported while connected to the Internet. Further, since the computers must be connected to hard-wired lines, cumbersome and costly line installation is required.
In the case of most wireless network paths, the data rates are relatively slow, and moreover the network paths are not continuous. That is, to establish a wireless network path, a user has had to dial up the wireless network and establish a connection through a telephony switch. This renders impractical applications that require continuous, high data rate, wireless network paths. The present invention recognizes the above-noted problems and provides the solutions disclosed herein, as well as various applications that take advantage of these solutions.